04 // Mobile app

Tidewater

Sailing weather companion with offline tide charts.

Calm ocean waves rolling toward a sandy shore under a pale morning sky

Client: Tidewater Sailing Co.
Role: Designer and front-end developer
Duration: 5 months
Year: 2024

01 // The brief

Recreational sailors check tides and wind in places with no signal. Existing apps either needed a connection or buried the numbers that matter under ads and maps.

Tidewater is a weather and tide companion that works fully offline, reads clearly in glare, and answers one question quickly: can I go out today?

02 // Process

How it came together

Step 01

Out on the water

I sailed with four skippers and noted what they actually checked, and when. Wind gusts and tide turn times came up every single time.

Step 02

Offline-first data

Forecasts and tide tables for a chosen region download in the harbour and are stored on the device, with a clear “last updated” marker.

Step 03

Built for glare and wet hands

High-contrast type, large tap targets and a single-screen daily summary. Tested on deck in bright sun and light rain.

03 // Gallery

Ocean waves breaking onto a beach under a clear sky — Coastal conditions that shaped the forecast view.

Sailboat on open blue water with full white sails — On-deck testing with skippers in the first season.

Aerial view of a tropical shoreline with turquoise water — Region downloads cover harbours and open water.

04 // Results

Tidewater reached 12,000 downloads in its first sailing season. Nine in ten sessions happen without a connection, which is exactly the use case it was built for.

12k

Downloads in the first season

4.8

Average store rating

92%

Sessions used offline